Self introduction is boring; sometimes I wonder within the passed hour, how many people have started their conversations with “Hello everybody, my name is ….” However, living on this highly-networked, well-connected planet, one has to equip themselves with this necessary evil, to serve as a social blade. I usually step further and spice my self introduction with a big, sweet smile, hoping that the end product is an unbeatable charm. This combo has worked great, but things started to spoil after I arrived in the United States.

“Hello everybody, my name is Szu-ting.”
“I beg your pardon; can you say your name for me again please?”
“It’s Szu-ting”
“Cindy?”
“No, Szu-ting”
“Oh, City?”
I bet sadness has jumped out of my eyes, and people usually feel obliged to try again.
“Sitting? Cindy?”
They are always puzzled by their own efforts. They must feel sorry for me that I have to bear with my parents’ fault.

Whatever, they have tried, and I appreciated their efforts. Americans have problems pronouncing my name correctly; I don’t blame them. There are sounds that have never existed in the English language, not to mention the mysterious distinction of 4 different tones in Mandarin Chinese.

I learned to settle with dozens of ways that sound like my name. Ironically, when you believe that nothing can be worse than this, God likes to reassure you that life is unpredictable, full of surprises.

“Hello everybody, my name is Szu-ting.”
“Susan?”
“No, Szu-ting.”
“Oh, Sue-ting.”

Alright, “Sue-ting” is one of the ways that has registered in my database, I can accept that, but the story is not finished yet.

“Sue, can you pass me some dressing?”
I didn’t respond.
“Sue, the one on your left. Please pass me that salad dressing.”
Ahh, me, Sue? But the dressing was on nobody else’s left. I passed the dressing and I was too shy to correct him. I comforted myself, “I just met him and I don’t want to be rude. Who knows when will be the next time I see him again?” Wrong thinking! Absolutely Wrong!

Months later, the proliferation of Sues haunted me, and sometimes I woke up with the ending of a nursery rhyme echoing in my brain, which was taught to me when I just started to learn English:

What is your name?
What is your name?
My name is Sue.
My name is Sue ~~.

Before the music of this song turned into a nightmare, I decided to fight back:

“Hello everybody, my name is Szu-ting. You can use my nickname Ting Ting if you prefer.” I always make sure I start this line with a deadly smile, and then I can set my ground rule right before everybody can even try to make that mistake:

“There are two syllables in my name: Szu-ting or Ting Ting.”

It might not be the best way, but My name is not Sue.